Easy Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate

These delicious thumbprint cookies with chocolate, mandarin zest, cranberries, dates and hazelnuts. Filled with silky smooth chocolate ganache. Perfect fruit and nut cookie with a chocolate center.

Baking season is that much better with Endangered Species Chocolate! These buttery fruit and nut thumbprint cookies with chocolate ganache are made with mandarin zest, dried cranberries, dates and hazelnuts. They are filled with smooth and silky chocolate ganache made with Endangered Species Chocolate baking chocolate.

The chocolate thumbprint cookie recipe was inspired by the delicious flavors of the traditional fruitcake. We added dates and cranberries to the cookies. The fruit gives them a soft chewy texture and a sweet and tart flavor. The hazelnuts add some nuttiness and crunch. The mandarin or orange zest adds another layer of sweet, fruity and slightly bitter citrus zesty bite. The flavor combinations of fruit, nuts and chocolate work harmoniously in this cookie recipe.

Ingredients for Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate

Fruit and Nut Cookies

All-purpose flour

Unsalted butter room temperature

Granulated sugar

Hazelnuts

 Dried cranberries

Medjool dated

Mandarin or orange zest

Pure vanilla extract

Baking powder and sea salt

Chocolate Ganache

Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heavy cream

How to make fruit and nut cookies

Pre heat oven to 350°.

Place flour, hazelnuts, cranberries, dates, mandarin zest, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Place room temperature butter and sugar into the bowl of a high-speed mixer and mix until well mixed. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fluffy.

Incorporate the dry mixture a little at a time and form the cookie dough.

Roll about a tablespoon full of cookie dough into a ball. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Use the back of the spoon to create a dip.

Bake cookies for about 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

How to make chocolate ganache

Heat the heavy cream.

Add chocolate chips to the heated heavy cream and mix together.

Fill the cookies with the chocolate ganache. Cool before serving.

More cookies to Bake…

Our Sunflower Butter Cookies have become quite popular. Try them as an alternative to peanut butter cookies. They are a great nut-free cookie option. 

Our Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are a must try, a delicious cookie to enjoy any time of the year.

If you are looking for a semi-sweet treat for your best doggie friend, try our Peanut Butter and Jelly Doggie Linzer Cookies. They are adorable and contain only a few natural ingredients.